


Archery Practice

by ErenLalonde



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Archery, F/M, Flirting, No Spoilers, Pining, Post-Time Skip, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 06:42:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20372392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErenLalonde/pseuds/ErenLalonde
Summary: Byleth needs help with her bow skills and Claude is very willing to help his old teacher who has gotten to used to his prior flirting





	Archery Practice

**Author's Note:**

> Haha I literally haven't written anything that wasn't for school in like, 4 years. But I was listening to Hozier and got filled with emotions for Claude and Byleth and also I think archery is hot. 
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes, Idk if I'll write anything else but here is something to fill my own need for my Byclaude

He always liked to pride himself on being available, or at least that's what he told himself as he was surrounded by a small collection of his men in the reception hall in the monastery. Reports being exchanged from his hand as easily as niceties. It was still a struggle to rebuild the monastery and bandits were still plenty to be found nearby so said reports came and went from his hands as he offered quick plans and instruction to each ot them on how to handle the situation. Paired with a characteristic charming and relaxed smile and light hearted banter the men were almost always excited to speak to the ‘Master Tactician’ that helped keep their morale upfloat.

They had only just returned to the monastery three months ago and were prepared to head out to meet with Judith which no matter how he wanted to avoid any further debt to her, and no matter how many late night strategy meetings with his old professor to figure out a way around it, they had to prepare to go to the Valley of Torment. 

But the thing that raked in his mind wasn’t going to such a place known as the “Valley of Torment” which was admittedly a little too on the nose for a place that was practically a glorified volcano no matter how miserable it sounded. Rather it was from those ‘late night strategy meetings’ that managed to keep his mind more than just a little preoccupied. The ability to speak to his old professor (or Teach as he so often teased her with the nickname of) so casually was very… enriching experience.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t previously been very casual with him before she disappeared but it was the new feeling that occupied the air when he was up late with her with just the two of them (and maybe a bottle or two of wine she kept hidden off their ledgers in her own scheming ways) for hours late into the night was different. And by the gods he hoped it wasn’t his own mind reaching for conclusions when it came to her. Sure he had always possessed a very boyish crush for his teacher, but it was always one sided at the least. She had developed the miraculous ability to deflect any and all flirts her way which was just another one of the fascinating abilities she so possessed when it came to teaching a class with Lorenz and Sylvain who was more than excited to join them when he met the newest professor. 

So it stumped him after those unbearable five years without his guiding friend and voice of reason all wrapped in the body of a woman who could easily destroy him any moment she so desired began to actually return his flirts. 

“Teach, you should be more careful about what you say to a man! You could’ve killed me!” He called out as he threw his head back behind the chair as quickly and overdramatically as he could to hide the rising blush on his dark cheeks and clutched his chest like an arrow had just struck him. Or was it just suddenly very hot all the sudden? Maybe he’d rely on his luck just one time for a sudden heat wave to strike the war room.

“Well, you don’t quite look dead yet so I think I’m fine.” The mint haired woman deadpanned in response to his dramatics but the humor that colored her bright green eyes revealed her true very very sinister intentions to him.

And said woman had come running up to him while lost in his very important thoughts he realized as he was suddenly looking down at those same mischievous turquoise eyes, while he didn’t pride himself on being the tallest in the army his sweet teach was always so short no matter who she talked to most of the time they had to look down to her.

“Claude, are you free? I could use some archery training,” she stated curtly as she also took a look at the soldiers surrounding him before meeting his eyes again and added a bit quieter this time, “and I’m sure you’d enjoy the alone time.”

He ran a gloved hand through his dark brown hair and he took a glance at the little collection that had grown around his presence, they wouldn’t miss him for just a bit as he took off some steam at shooting some targets. “With you teach? I’m always up for some training with you.” He winked at her as she scoffed at him.

“I have very vivid memories of having to drag you to training after you decided to take a nap in a garden.” 

“Ah but you see, I always eventually came.”

With that she shook her head with a small smile of her own and left for the training grounds knowing her old student would be following right behind her step. And of course he followed her lead like any good student.

He picked up one of the silver bows that was kept stocked in a very hidden compartment for him and Byleth to use for training. Leonie was able to find them and polish them up for training use and he always kept two hidden away for when Byleth and him trained. He loved the weight and curve of bows in his hands, they always felt familiar to him no matter their make and model it was as natural as breathing for him at this point. He took off his thick gloves and coat as he slipped on a pair of archery gloves and a guard for his wrist over the thinner under shirt he wore. 

As he grabbed the corresponding materials for Byleth he was nearly struck with a blow that knocked the wind out of his chest. She shrugged off her own coat and armor, leaving her only in the strapless bodice from the waist up. From there he could confirm a long standing theory he had, that Byleth only wore her ridiculous outfit as a form of torture for male students.

But he wasn’t a student anymore.

No, he wasn’t in their stuffy classroom anymore. In fact she was asking him to teach her more about something which was always a thrill. He was their equal now that 5 years had passed. He handed her the gear which she put the gloves on top her bare pale skin which there was suddenly a lot more of. He examined the way her muscles moved as she tossed the bow back and forth between her hands and got accustomed to the weight. Graceful yet powerful in every way, his lovely teacher was.

“Claude,” her voice jumped him out of his thoughts again, always level and curt as she handed out a quiver of practice arrows to him before turning to the targets set up in the yard. 

He slung on the quiver onto his back before glancing back at her again now. Taking shaky shots at the targets he followed her hand with his eyes as she reached for the quiver. Which just so happened to be resting on top of those black shorts that clung onto her b-

“I’ve been having issues getting used to the weight of silver. I was hoping more practice would help.” That time he did actually jump and was incredibly thankful her back was turned to him so he didn’t need to embarrass himself again. 

“Well, see here that wouldn’t be a problem if you switched to silver when we all told you to.” Finally being able to fill the air with the banter he enjoyed with her and able to focus on anything other than Byleth’s… form when shooting. He took his place next to her and took his first draw of the bow like it was easily as breathing and hit his target right at the mark.

His teacher on the other hand was having issues, not drawing the string back far enough and looked like she was being weighed down but the very process. His response made a sharp inhale come from her which was the closest thing to a chuckle he could hope to get. “Maybe, but I like things that are familiar to me. And that iron bow had stuck with me for so long I got used to him being there for me.” 

“Oh so your bow’s a him?” He almost struck himself for immediately brushing off Byleth’s emotional moments with a joke. But it had begun to leave his mouth and it was too late. “He must feel pretty lucky to have such a lady like yourself pluck his string.” Damn it he knew he overstepped and knew that the next thing she’d say would a swift stop to his flirts like before.

“I imagine your bow must be infinitely luckier to have someone half as skilled as you are to use her.” Byleth was trying to kill him at this rate he was confident. He thought he could predict her so easily and she manages to trip up a master schemer like himself so easily with just a few words. 

He lowered his bow for a second and stepped over to behind her, if she was doing things unexpectedly he could only play at her game. “Hey now, just some more training and you’ll be handling him to his delight,” he could peak at her cheeks that had a light dusting of pink under those sweet green eyes. “Let me help you.”

He then took a step so he was right behind her and before she had a chance to react he placed his hand over the one that was holding the bow’s grip tightly. 

Was her hand always so small? He remembered all those years ago when he took her hand and dragged her out to dance at the ball and how effortlessly they slid into his. His hand effortlessly covered hers.

“You’ve got to counteract the weight of the bow. It takes more strength behind the draw to get the same results.” He whispered into her hair like he knew he wasn’t absolutely enjoying this chance to be so close to her. The smell of her hair delighted him and he could practically feel the heat radiating off her. Besides, he was just teaching.

He then took a step back and reached into the quiver that hung on her hips and above her curves that were hardly hidden in those ridiculous shorts. Gripping an arrow between his fingers, he lifted her bow up and notched it for her in the string. He took one sneaking look at her face to see her eyes wide and her cheeks absolutely red before offering her a wink in response. 

“Take a step back, give your body more space to draw the bow back.” He instructed as he pulled her closer to his chest and more to the side than she previously had been. She practically pushed up against him with only her quiver preventing her from being completely flush to him but even still he could feel each breath she took and a part of him feared she could feel how his own heart was racing at being so close to her like this.

He then took her other hand and placed it on the string for her. Her fingers wrapping delicately around the string before pulling the string back further than she previously was with his own hand wrapping around her wrist, guiding her movements as she drew the string back to the necessary distance. 

“Is… is this good enough?” She said meekly in a way he’s never heard from her before. He nodded into the back of her hair and removed the hand from her wrist in feather light movements down to her waist. Not quite touching the skin revealing itself there but still enough she could feel the heat from his touch. Her breath hitched.

“Take a deep breath and release.” He then removed his last hand and immediately missed the feeling of her hand under his own but moved it down to join his other hand opposite of her hips. He held her form steady as he felt her body expand with breath and.

She released the string and along with that a breath she had been holding for much longer than she probably wanted to reveal. The arrow hit the mark squarely and with significantly more force than her previous attempts alone. His chest swelled with a sense of pride and he fought the urge to kiss her mint green hair in a job well done.

They stood there for what felt like days with his hands on her hips as she lowered the bow and relaxed more into his touch. He then realized his own cheeks were burning with being so close to Byleth, maybe he had taken his flirting a bit far but how natural she felt like this was intoxicating. 

Maybe this more than a boyish crush he’d admit to himself, maybe this is more than that. More than just his old professor playing into his flirting for fun. All he knew was that he didn’t want to let go of her and how she rested her head freely up against his chest and stared up at him with her blushing face was only adding to the beauty of those green eyes. Her lips parted slowly, looking slightly bruised, was she biting them?

“Claude I-”

“Hey professor do you know where Claude is-” The unmistakable voice of their pink haired friend filled the silence of the training yard, “-OH”


End file.
